Foods

SugarBliss by Chamanka

SugarBliss by Chamanka is owned and operated by Chamanka Gamage who says that baking and cooking are very much a part of her DNA. Her great grandfather was one of the founders of the Maliban empire while her maternal grandmother had her own pastry shop at Liberty Plaza.

Can you be pregnant on a vegan or vegetarian diet?

Yes! You totally can. Many vegetarians and vegans will understand the frustration when telling the good news to family and friends that they are asked ’’Are you going to start eating meat now?’’. While well-meaning I’m sure, it’s only due to a limited understanding about being vegetarian/vegan that people have misplaced concerns.

For The Love Of Chicken Wings

Who doesn’t love a big plate of chicken wings? Sometimes, what’s being served at famous restaurants can be overrated. And even if you have a favourite, it grows old on you. So you are forced to a point that you have to find a new favourite all over again which can lead to several visits to many restaurants and an empty wallet. Here is my favourite and recipe for delicious chicken wings.

Top 5 Animal Documentaries

As more people start to become aware of the ethical issues that surround the use of animals in society, more documentaries are being produced on these topics. There’s a varied range out there but the most central themes focus on animal welfare, the environment or health. Below are my top 5 picks for the best documentaries about animals.

Heritance Ayurveda Maha Gedara

Heritance Ayurveda Maha Gedara is a property owned and managed under the Heritance brand of the Aitken Spence Group in Beruwala. The property is a modern day rendition of a traditional ayurvedic medicine retreat and focuses its energies on rejuvenating the weary spirits of its patrons.

Veg Heroes: Eggplants

If there was ever a vegetable that was forced on me it is the brinjal. I never liked the mushy content inside, but over the years my mother found a way to make me fall in love with her curry. Well, to be fair, I will eat moju anytime, but that is one unhealthy dish! Here is a list of health benefits that you get from a brinjal! And if you are anything like me and has a strong dislike for brinjals, this list will change your mind.

Ceylon Café

Located in the heart of Colombo’s Cinnamon Gardens, The Ceylon Café specialises in a refined assortment of Sri Lankan cuisine. Along with the traditional ’Ceylonese’ recipes, Ceylon Café’s Executive Chef and his team have been experimenting with various cuisines and its origins to offer guests a choice of different options. The dishes are infused with ingredients and flavours that make Sri Lankan cuisine what it is - simply delicious!

Healthy Eats

Healthy Eats is a delivery-only food option for those looking for healthy controlled meals. The brainchild of Dano’s owner, Roshani Raju, Healthy Eats grew from popular demand by Dano’s customers looking for a healthy meal.

Vietnamese Fare at Graze Kitchen

What’s the first Vietnamese item of food that pops into your mind? Pho? Banh mi? Spring rolls? All of these quintessential dishes and more will be served at the Graze Kitchen at Hilton Colombo from the 29th of June till the 15th of July. Two guest chefs from their sister hotel, Hilton Hanoi Opera are here especially for this.

New Menu By Big Bird’s Delights

We reviewed Big Bird’s Delights a few months ago. At the time, Jovanka Jayaweera the lady behind Big Bird’s Delights only offered a handful of delicious items but since we last met, she has quit her full time job and balances this and an event organising company. The best part is that her menu has expanded. Here’s what we thought.

Business Dining Etiquette

Meeting with clients or business partners can be daunting. You have to set the right tone so that the experience is without any hitches or embarrassing situations for the parties involved. Since important decisions are made over meals, impressions made, it’s best you know your do’s and don’ts. While many of these are obvious, not many pay heed to them, which could harm your business prospects. Here are a few pointers to help you get started.

The Startup Cook - Eggs in Purgatory

There is something magical about good tasty food. When you’re feeling blue, a plate piled up with your favourite food can instantly switch your mood to good. This is in no way to encourage you to binge eat, but a sincere appreciation for homemade soul food. One of my preferred kinds of food is breakfast food and I can eat it any time of the day. These Eggs in Purgatory courtesy Nigella Lawson is no exception to this rule.

For The Love Of Jam

I love jam! Well who doesn’t? And my all-time favourite flavour is strawberry. I eat it with everything from biscuits, bread, roti and I even mix it in with my plain yoghurt or use it as an ice cream topping! But I always struggled with the level of sweetness found in our locally produced jams and more importantly how artificial the texture is. Imagine my joy the day I found out that jam is one of the easiest things to make!

Home Baker Of The Week: Dush Ratnayake

What started as an attempt to recreate the chillie paste he was once denied eventually led Dush Ratnayake on a journey which resulted in him starting up Bellissima Desserts with his friend and partner in crime in the kitchen, Andrew Obeysekere.

Chef Eric Berrigaud at The Grill

The Kingsbury’s visiting French chef, Eric Berrigaud, is set to present Colombo with an exquisite French experience at The Grill restaurant from the 29th of June to the 19th of July.

Green Magic

Vegan pizza has come to town! Green Magic is a home-run vegan food venture that started its vegan journey earlier this month with pizzas. Ru Ish, the founder of Green Magic, felt that there was a need to fill in the vegan food gaps in Colombo and after much persuasion and good feedback from her friends, she got started on her vegan venture.

Seven New Flavours At Mabroc Bubble Tea

Mabroc Bubble Tea has come up with seven new exciting flavours of bubbly bubble tea, of which there’s also a Ramadan special. We headed to their recently opened third branch situated at the food court of Crescat Boulevard to try these new concoctions.

Endless High Tea at Hilton Colombo

GRAZE KITCHEN’s most recent offering is a lavish and scrumptious high tea which is held in two sittings on Saturdays, Poya days and any public holiday. So instead of their lunch buffet, what you find is a high tea which is offered from 12 noon to 2:30PM (last reservation is at 1:30PM), and the second sitting is from 3:00PM to 5:00PM (last reservation is at 4:00PM).

The Yuppie Review: Cantaloupe Levels

Cantaloupe Levels is a luxury boutique property owned and managed by the Cantaloupe Group in Rumassala, off the Southern coast of the island. True to its namesake, the property is landscaped in multiple levels with the higher tiers offering a gorgeous view of the fabled Rumassala hill whose mythical origins are traced to the Ramayana.

Ethical Eats: Spicy Vegetable Chilli

This recipe is one of my own that I’ve adapted over the years depending on what ingredients I have in the cupboard. It can be eaten anytime of the day - wrapped in a tortilla as a breakfast burrito, on top of some toast for a quick lunch or as a topping for nachos for dinner.

Havelock Place Bungalow

Havelock Place Bungalow is a little boutique hotel tucked in the corners of Havelock City. Established in 2000, this boutique hotel’s restaurant is open to both in-house and out-house guests for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Their a la carte menu features a range of international dishes fused with Sri Lankan flavours.

MILK & Honey Café Introduces Meats To Their Menu

MILK & Honey Café is easily one of my most favourite cafés in town. They have been consistent from the get go with regard to their menu which used to be vegetarian and vegan. Speaking to Pri Ratnayake, Director, MILK & Honey Café she explained to me that she felt there needed to be something different on offer at the café, which resulted in her introducing chicken and seafood to the menu as well as homemade ice creams.

New Menu at Agra

Agra happens to be one of the finest Indian restaurants in the city. Their cuisine is influenced by the rich culture of the Moghul emperors who conquered the Northern part of India. Agra endeavours to recreate this heritage and bring it to Colombo. With the launch of their new menu, the restaurant hosted some of their longstanding regular customers for lunch and held a session of food tasting to get a feedback of the newly introduced dishes.

It’s All About The Tomatoes

Is it a fruit? Or is it a vegetable? Well, does it matter? Tomatoes are definitely one of those amazing things that you can eat raw and also add to almost anything you make! It is also very easy to grow in your garden thus ensuring organic fruits free of chemicals. It is packed with nutrition too. Here are some of the health benefits you get from eating tomatoes.

Restaurant Etiquette

With our days being consumed with work and other responsibilities, we visit restaurants quite frequently. And while often overlooked, there is a certain sense of decorum we must maintain when at such establishments. Check out these restaurant etiquette basics and additional tips to ensure you (and your guests) have the best experience at restaurants.

Tea Tasting at Maniumpathy Hotel

The history of Ceylon tea dates back to the times of James Taylor - the pioneer of the tea industry in the then Ceylon. Back in 1867, he marked the birth of the tea industry by initiating a tea plantation concept at the Loolecondera estate in Galaha, Kandy. With a massive evolution in the industry, today the Sri Lankan tea leaf is exported to various countries from around the world.

Chef Eric Berrigaud presents a French Affair

Kingsbury Hotel will offer the culinary expertise of Chef Eric Berrigaud as he presents a variety of French cuisine at various restaurants at the Kingsbury Hotel. A creative, ambitious and skilled Executive Chef with a combined experience of more than 20 years in the food and beverage as well as the hospitality industries with internationally acclaimed hotels and restaurants in France, Caribbean and Thailand, Chef Eric cooks from the heart with g

Jaffna Food Festival At Grand Oriental Hotel

Grand Oriental Hotel has organised a delectable buffet of Jaffna cuisine for all the Jaffna food lovers from the 22nd of June to 1st of July 2017 at Harbour Room. Bringing Jaffna to Colombo, the Hotel’s international restaurant which has a lovely ambience and a scenic view of Colombo Harbour, will host guests to experience a little bit of Jaffna with the endeavour of adding cultural diversity to cuisine.

It’s All About The Carrots

If there was an ever a vegetable that can be made in a hundred different ways it has got to be the carrot! Used in both sweet and savoury preparations, carrots are loved by both vegetarian and non-vegetarian foodies. It makes beautiful sides for your meats, raw - it can be enjoyed as a healthy snack, and more importantly carrots give you so many health benefits that it should definitely be included in your diet regularly.